September 2019

As the days get shorter, the longing for pumpkin everything grows greater.

These days, the gourd is enjoyed in coffee, pastries and even elegant pasta dishes. And the innovative craft brewing industry has long since seized on this fall harvest to produce a cornucopia of beer styles that celebrate pumpkin.

Like many modern beers, pumpkin ale is a resurrection of a historical style. Colonists in New England brewed a beer in which pumpkin served as a source of fermentable sugar (somewhat similar to cider), rather than as a star ingredient like today’s versions. By all accounts, the modern iterations are likely more enjoyable.

Of course, there remains a portion of the beer community that scoffs at the pumpkin beer craze. But like any ingredient, when pumpkin is handled by skilled artisans, the results are usually quite good. Here are 12 of our favorite pumpkin beers to drink this season.

Rogue Ales Pumpkin Patch (6.1% ABV)

Rogue maintains an expansive farm where they grow pumpkins and hops, both of which make a short trip from the soil to the bottle. Using those fresh ingredients have helped Pumpkin Patch beer win numerous medals, including Gold at the World Beverage Competition in 2018. In addition to fresh pumpkin and gentle hop flavors, there are familiar pumpkin pie notes like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, ginger and nutmeg. But the kiss of citrus from orange peel gives the beer a lovely zing that makes it even better.

Rogue Ales Pumpkin Patch

Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale (7% ABV)

Dogfish Head unveiled its Punkin’ Ale in 1995. “But its story begins back in 1994 at the World Championship of Punkin Chunkin, a legendary fall event that brings folks from around the world to the Delmarva area to see who could hurl a pumpkin the farthest,” Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Founder, says. “It was there that I entered my first-ever batch of pumpkin beer into a baking contest. It ended up winning first place—beating out a boatload of homemade pumpkin cookies, pies and cakes—and Punkin’ Ale as we know it was born. I even named the beer after the festival’s Punkin Chunkin competition.” This year’s version, which is the 25th iteration, enjoys a fresh look with artwork from artist Michael Hacker. The label pays homage to the brewery’s love of punk rock music. Meanwhile, the liquid inside remains highly coveted, a full-bodied brown ale made with real pumpkin meat, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin (6.4% ABV)

For those who feel that pumpkin ales have grown dull, New Belgium came along and produced Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin with habanero, aji and del arbol peppers, as well as Saigon cinnamon. On the nose, there’s a healthy dose of pumpkin pie aroma, including a bit of pepper that immediately reveals the beer’s personality. Tasting notes of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg lead the way, offering sweetness and earthy spices. That habanero arrives at the finish, which gives the beer depth and will surely warm the soul on those chilly autumn days.

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin

Southern Tier Brewing Company Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8.6% ABV)

Southern Tier doesn’t just produce pumpkin ales, but the brewery embraces pumpkin, celebrates pumpkin, champions pumpkin—they are all-in. And this year, you can purchase its Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale along with four variants: coffee, chai tea, rum barrel-aged and nitro. But nothing tops the brewery’s Warlock Imperial Stout with pumpkin and pumpkin spice. The beautiful marriage of robust stout and gourd receives high grades by both experts and amateurs beer geeks. With Warlock, flavors and aromas mirror a tasty pumpkin pie, along with stout notes that include roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Despite its complexity, the beer is silky smooth and finishes with a comforting sweet flavor.

Southern Tier Brewing Company Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Scorched Earth Brewing Crypt Keeper Pumpkin Porter (8.3% ABV)

Chicago-area brewery Scorched Earth produces a beer that’s a local favorite and appeals to those who love fall, Halloween, pumpkin flavors and robust porters. Crypt Keeper is a sumptuous dark beer with rich chocolate and coffee notes, along with pumpkin and warming spices. No flavor is hidden, yet none of them are overpowering, which makes for a superbly balanced brew.

Scorched Earth Brewing Crypt Keeper Pumpkin Porter

Weyerbacher Brewing Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8% ABV)

As Weyerbacher notes, its pumpkin ale is “heartier, spicier and more caramelly and pumpkiny than its faint brethren!” For those who enjoy, and we mean really enjoy pumpkin, Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale is the one you should try. The brewery added a copious amount of pumpkin along with pumpkin pie spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and a little cardamom and clove. The full-bodied beer is a sipper and should be slowly savored, preferably in front of a bonfire.

Weyerbacher Brewing Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Lone Tree Brewing Pumpkin Ale (6.4% ABV)

This family-friendly Colorado brewery offers a grown-up version of a classic pumpkin ale. Lone Tree Brewing Pumpkin Ale pours a terrific amber-brown color that’s as pretty as the area’s fall foliage. But what really matters is that Lone Tree Brewing added 23 pounds of real pumpkin to the barrel, so it’s a true pumpkin-lover’s delight. In addition to allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon, the brewers used vanilla to help balance the spices and pumpkin flavors.

Lone Tree Brewing Pumpkin Ale

Brooklyn Brewery Post Road Pumpkin Ale (5% ABV)

Few have a better understanding of how to create a well-composed beverage than Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster, renowned author, foodie and winner of the 2014 James Beard Award for Excellent Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional. While Brooklyn, New York may not be a hotbed of pumpkin farming, when an ingredient is put in the hands of someone like Oliver, you know it will be good. And Post Road Pumpkin Ale is, in fact, very good, made with heirloom malts, real pumpkin and fall spices.

Brooklyn Brewery Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Endo Brewing No Pumpkin, Punkin Autumn Spice Ale (6.5% ABV)

If we can have Impossible Burgers, we can also drink pumpkin-less pumpkin beers. As Endo proclaims, “No pumpkins were harmed in the making of this beer!” But when you sip No Pumpkin, Punkin Autumn Spice Ale, you’ll still experience Ceylon cinnamon, candied ginger and an assortment of spices that screams autumn. The flavor combination makes the mind perceive pumpkin, but the gorgeous showcase of autumn spices is the star.

Endo Brewing No Pumpkin, Punkin Autumn Spice Ale

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale (8% ABV)

Largely regarded as one of the best pumpkin ales for the past 10 years, Schlafly’s stalwart Pumpkin Ale has won several awards, including silver at the Great American Beer Festival. It’s an exceptional example of the style that is well-balanced with enticing caramel-malt and fall spices. The beer is fermented in an abundance of fresh pumpkin squash prior to being filtered through a spiced infusion of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. The result recalls of a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

Avery Brewing Rumpkin Rum Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Ale (16.3% ABV)

The only thing that’s better than pumpkin ale is pumpkin ale that’s aged in rum barrels. Cap’n Jack O’ Lantern would surely approve of Rumpkin Rum Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Ale, which is a truly delectable libation. The roasted pumpkins used in the base come from a local Boulder County farm, and then the brewery adds spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. The robust, earthy pumpkin ale is then aged in rum barrels to add refined notes of molasses and oak. It’s a little sweet, spicy, boozy and goes down smoothly.

Avery Brewing Rumpkin Rum Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Ale

Brewery Vivant Farmhouse Pumpkin Tart (7% ABV)

This beer is inspired by Belgian brewing and local agriculture, a concept that’s easy to mimic in farm-rich Michigan. Brewers once relied on a kettle-souring technique for Pumpkin Tart, but the already-tasty tart beer has enjoyed an improvement in 2019. “The non-sour beer for Pumpkin Tart is an amber-hued Farmhouse ale,” Jonathan Ward, Experience Warden and Creative Director of Brewery Vivant and Broad Leaf Local Beer, says. “This year, we blended in a Barrel-Aged Sour farmhouse ale—this is basically a wild saison—to taste.”

Brewery Vivant Farmhouse Pumpkin Tart

The post 12 Tasty Pumpkin Beers to Drink This Fall appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

National cocktail days aren’t just a great excuse to drink delicious libations—they are also an important way for the bartending community to come together through events and culture.

When it comes to rum, we’re always looking to celebrate with BACARDÍ. As today is National Rum Punch Day, we caught up with Gn Chan, the winner of the 2016 BACARDÍ Legacy Global Cocktail Competition. Chan talks about life after winning the cocktail contest, why national cocktail days are significant to the bartending community and what he’s drinking to celebrate National Rum Punch Day.

BACARDÍ Legacy Winner Gn Chan

Talk to us about bartending life after winning the BACARDÍ Legacy Global Cocktail Competition.

It has been three years since winning the competition, and I’m really grateful that I got the opportunity to explore the world with BACARDÍ. I have tried and learned so many new things, so I will always consider it a once in a lifetime experience. This opportunity has also brought me closer to the bartender community, which has motivated me in many different ways and constantly redefines why and what I’d like to deliver through my cocktail creations.

I also have a dream of owning my own bar, but unfortunately the process of finding a space and signing the lease has been much harder than I expected. It didn’t get easier even after I won the competition, but I appreciate every obstacle that has made me stronger, and I kept pushing myself to do something different—such as the Road Trip Pop-up project all around the United States. After 4.5 years, I’m thrilled to share that we finally have the lease signed and are going to open Double Chicken Please in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan at the end of 2019.

Tell us about National Rum Punch Day. What’s the importance of this day to cocktail culture?

For me, what is so meaningful is how every different brand and individual bars are hosting a series of events on the day to bring back that genuine happiness which is deeply rooted in rum culture. They’re working to influence the consumer and put big smiles on everybody’s faces.

How does BACARDÍ Rum’s heritage and history shape the different national rum cocktail days, and why do you think so?

The Bacardi family has endured hardships and have overcome many obstacles to become who they are today. Not only have they produced great products, but they have also influenced music, art and many different fields, and have encouraged and supported numerous people to chase their dreams. On the different national cocktail days, BACARDÍ as a company gathers these talents to celebrate through their performance, not only for people to enjoy creative output but also understand what the BACARDÍ spirit stands for.

What is your favorite rum cocktail?

Le Latin from Franck Dedieu, Bacardi Legacy Global winner 2015.

Le Latin

Le Latin

From Franck Dedieu, Bacardi Legacy Global winner 2015

Ingredients:

• 45 ml. Bacardi Carta Blanca
• 20 ml. White Wine (Preferably Viognier)
• 20 ml. Freshly-Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 6 ml. Olive Brine
• 2 bar spoons Sugar Cane
• Olive (to Garnish)

Preparation: Add all liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an olive.

The post BACARDÍ Legacy Winner Gn Chan Talks National Rum Punch Day appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

With fall just around the corner and Halloween on the horizon, BACARDÍ is releasing a limited-edition haunted rum bottle, just in time for the creepy occasion.

BACARDÍ Limited-Edition Glow in the Dark Bottle

This fall, BACARDÍ Superior is joining in on the Halloween fun and dressing up as a jack-o-lantern that glows in the dark. Hitting liquor store shelves nationwide starting October 1, the iconic white rum is being repackaged in ghoulishly good fun for the holiday, making it the perfect party favor, pregame décor or spooky bar cart addition.

Priced at $13.99 a bottle, BACARDÍ Superior is a versatile light and dry white rum, ideal for mixing in new Halloween cocktails like The Goblin and Blood Moon. BACARDÍ Superior has notes of vanilla and almond, which are developed in white oak barrels before being shaped through a secret blend of charcoal for a distinctive smoothness.

The post BACARDÍ is Releasing a Limited-Edition Glow in the Dark Bottle for Halloween appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Welcome to On Tap, a weekly column that explores the brews and beer trends that are currently being served at restaurants and bars across the country.

This week, we’re chatting with Raymond Vlug, the manager at Philadelphia’s Frankford Hall. Located in the city’s Fishtown neighborhood, Frankford Hall takes the best parts of the classic German biergarten and adds modern touches like fire pits, games and delicious eats to help you soak up the suds. We chatted with Vlug to find out how he chooses beers for the beverage program and which current on-tap brews are best paired with dishes from the food menu.

Frankford Hall

When choosing beers for your on-tap program, do you always go to the same brands, or are you constantly looking for new breweries to feature?

We generally do not stick with the same brands for our on-tap program, even though we are relatively limited to mostly German beers. I am always on the lookout for new German or German-inspired breweries. We recently collaborated with a fantastic local brewery called Mainstay Independent, who made us an IPA called Dankford Hall IPA. I know it’s not German by any means, but these days you have to have an IPA on tap. We have another collaboration in the pipeline with the Von Trapp brewery out of Vermont, known for their exceptional German-style beers. They are making us a Berliner Weiss—a light and tart wheat beer—that we are expecting to release in early December. We are also expanding our draft lines in the next month or two to allow for some more rare, off the wall, and unique local and imported beers you will have a hard time finding anywhere else.

Bitburger on Tap

How often do you rotate your tap selections and why?

We generally don’t rotate most of our tap selections too often, as German beers are very drinkable any time of the year. We will do a more aggressive rotation once our tap expansion is finished. For now, we generally rotate a few lines seasonally such as Oktoberfests in the fall, Doppelbocks in the winter, maibocks in the spring and summer, and lagers and wheats in the summer. The German brewing cycle very much depends on the season, as it has for hundreds of years, and we try to stick to that same cycle as best we can across the pond.

What is your favorite beer that’s being served on tap right now?

This is probably the hardest question of them all. As I am writing this, it is raining heavily and it’s a little chilly for this time of year, so I’m currently drinking a Kostritzer Schwarzbier. The Schwarzbier is a specialty black lager from east Germany. The heavily roasted malts give the beer a gorgeous black color with a wonderful dry roasted aroma and flavor. Because it is a lager, it drinks very light—as most other lagers do—and it doesn’t fall too heavy on the palate. It’s a perfect, full-flavored lager for any lager enthusiast; and even black coffee lovers will certainly appreciate this beer style.

As Frankford Hall likes to keep things as German as possible, their food menu is stacked with snacks like Bavarian pretzels and sausages. Here, Vlug makes some suggestions on which current on-tap beers to pair with the biergarten’s food.

Frankford Hall Food Selections

Hofbräu Dunkel Lager with Schweinshaxe

The roasted malt aroma and flavor of this lager pair exceptionally well with any meat product, especially with our Duroc Pork Shank, which is brined and slow roasted until crispy.

Hofbräu Original Lager with Spicy Bauernwurst

Our spicy sausage is best washed down with this crisp and refreshing blond lager from Munich.

Paulaner Hefeweizen with Weisswurst

This is the very old and classic Bavarian breakfast of  white pork and veal sausage paired with a half liter of a light, Bavarian unfiltered wheat beer.

Bitburger Pils with Veggie Burger

The crisp and clean German Pils is a great way to wash down the many layers of flavor in our Impossible Burger, which is served with cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, special sauce, tomato jam and aioli.

Gaffel Kölsch with Salads

This light, specialty ale from Cologne is very versatile for food pairings. It goes especially well with light fish dishes and salads, such as our Roasted Beet Salad or Mix Greens & Radish Salad.

Frankford Hall Food Selections

Weihenstephaner Dunkelweizen with Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream

This unfiltered dark wheat beer has wonderful banana and caramel undertones that pair outrageously well with vanilla ice cream. Dare I say Beerfloat?

Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen with Riesenpretzel

This is probably one of the oldest beer and food pairings in the world and one of our top sellers—the classic amber Oktoberfest Lager paired with our giant German pretzel. What’s not to like?

The post On Tap: Frankford Hall appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

No one will argue that the Negroni is a classic cocktail.

But before there was the Negroni, there was the Americano—and before that came the Milano Torino. A Negroni is equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth; the Americano substitutes soda water for gin. Dating back to the 1860s, the Milano Torino is an even simpler mix of Campari and Punt e Mes.

Most recently, the Milano Torino turned up on the new 70s Summer Lovin’ cocktail menu at The Raymond 1886 in Pasadena, California. The drink is a favorite libation of head barman Jesus Gomez. The cocktail, he says, should definitely be considered a classic.

The progression of Campari cocktails from the Milano Torino to the Americano to the Negroni dates back to Gaspare Campari, who invented the Milano Torino in the 1860s. The drink was named as such because Punt e Mes used to come from Turin (Torino) and Campari from Milan. “It became popular in the 1870s,” Gomez says. “Camillo Negroni, between 1919 and 1920, asked for his Americano to be switched from soda water to gin. People then asked, can I get my Americano the Negroni way?”

The Milano Torino is a low-proof cocktail, and Gomez’s recipe calls for equal parts Punt e Mes and Campari, along with dashes of Angostura and orange bitters. The original recipe didn’t use bitters, so it’s his personal, modern touch.

“We don’t have the same ingredients as back in the day and, to be honest, I was really scared the first time I heard about this cocktail because it had Punt e Mes, which is really bitter on its own,” Gomez says. “When I’m lazy at home and I want something quick, I just put Punt e Mes on ice and it’s perfect. But it’s really bitter and then you add Campari to it [for the Milano Torino]. So I thought, it’s probably not going to work. But it’s a classic and they knew what they were doing, so I gave it a try. And I think having two bitter components creates that perfect balance somehow.”

Because Campari used to be made by crushing up cochineal insects for its signature bright red color, the taste is different today than it was decades ago. And according to Gomez, the modern day Negroni is bitter for that reason. “Vintage gin, vintage Campari and vintage vermouth had the perfect balance,” he says. “The Milano Torino tastes as close as you can get to a vintage Negroni.”

The Milano Torino offers a slightly more bitter and syrupy flavor than the Negroni. It has less bite and because it’s low ABV, you can drink more of them and feel less tipsy. As an equal parts cocktail, like the Negroni, this tipple is simple to make at home.

Jesus Gomez with His Milano Torino

Milano Torino

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. Punt e Mes
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters (Optional)
• 1 dash Orange Bitters (Optional)
• Orange Slice (to Garnish)

Preparation: Add the liquid ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

The post Get to Know Milano Torino, the Tasty Ancestor of the Negroni appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

With fall right around the corner, we’re gathering some of our favorite bottles and ingredients to mix up seasonal cocktails that will complement the changing leaves.

Rum is one of our favorite spirits to drink during the cooler months, especially when it’s mixed with ingredients like apples and maple syrup. Made with BACARDÍ Rum and the FACUNDO Rum Collection, these two cocktails will help kick off your fall-inspired festivities. They are great for serving at the many upcoming holiday celebrations spent with family and friends, one sensational sip at a time.

BACARDÍ Treacle

BACARDÍ Treacle

A seasonal staple, the BACARDÍ Treacle—made with BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho, freshly pressed apple juice, simple syrup and orange bitters—combines the best of autumn flavors that create a crisply refreshing cocktail, perfect to transition you from summer to fall.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 oz. BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho
• .25 oz. Simple Syrup
• 1 oz. Freshly-Pressed Apple Juice
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• Apple Slice (to Garnish)

Preparation: Build over ice in a rocks glass until perfectly diluted. Float apple juice last. Garnish with an apple slice.

Star of Autumn

Star of Autumn

The Star of Autumn, made with FACUNDO NEO Rum, deliciously blends the tartness of apples and sweetness of maple syrup with the warmth of rum to create a libation that embodies the flavors of autumn.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. FACUNDO NEO
• 1 oz. Laird’s Applejack
• .25 oz. Maple Syrup
• .25 oz. Lemon Juice
• Granny Smith Apple Wheel (to Garnish)

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with plenty of ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a thin apple wheel or curled apple peel.

The post Mix Up These BACARDÍ Rum Cocktails to Welcome Fall appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

If beer festivals are your thing, then fall is your season. While there are hundreds of festivals all across the United States to choose from, some simply stand out from the crowd.

Whether it’s an old school juggernaut celebration or merrymaking with a historical backdrop, there is a festival for every type of beer drinker. While there are countless other beer festivals taking place throughout the autumn season, you’re sure to fall in love with these three happenings.

Great American Beer Festival

Denver, Colorado, October 3-5

A true celebration of the American beer industry, this is the biggest beer festival in the country and features both public tastings and a private competition component. For three days, the Great American Beer Festival will entertain attendees with more than 800 breweries that are representing regions from all over the United States. To navigate the samples  more than 4,000 different brews, the breweries will be organized first by region, then alphabetically. Snag your tickets soon, as this event regularly sells out!

Great American Beer Festival

Craft: Beer, Spirits, & Food Festival

Bethel Woods, New York, October 12

As this tasty fest takes place on the hallowed grounds of the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair, both history and  fans will be able to enjoy the October celebration. The seventh annual Craft offers regional beer samples along with ciders, spirits, artisan vendors, food tents and live music. General admission takes place between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., while VIPs can get in an hour early and also experience a special tasting dinner, extra large beer samples, free admission to the on-site museum and access to a private lounge. That ticket price is $85, while regular tickets are $45. Designated driver tickets are just $20. beer fans will be able to enjoy the October celebration. The seventh annual Craft offers regional beer samples along with ciders, spirits, artisan vendors, food tents and live music. General admission takes place between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., while VIPs can get in an hour early and also experience a special tasting dinner, extra larger (did you mean lager? or just larger than normal beer? maybe rephrase to extra large) beer samples, free admission to the on-site museum, and access to a private lounge. That ticket price is $85, while regular tickets are $45. Designated driver tickets are just $20.

Craft: Beer, Spirits, & Food Festival

SD Beer Guild Fest

San Diego, California, November 1-10

San Diego’s 10-day homage to beer shouldn’t be missed. This marks the 11th year of Beer Week and the Guild Fest event serves as its official kick-off party. Guests can enjoy a VIP ticket which includes a harbor cruise and early admission for $90. Regular admission tickets cost just $45. Both tickets include more than 100 beer samples and a special commemorative cup. But that is simply a start to what the next days of SDBW will bring. Also, don’t miss the elusive peanut butter cup beer, which is exclusively available on tap this week each year.

SD Beer Guild Fest

The post The 3 Coolest Beer Festivals to Attend This Fall appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

You might know green tea as a caffeinated pick-me-up that’s chock-full of healthy things like antioxidants and polyphenol, which is known to pep-up your metabolism.

But in addition to its wellness properties, green tea makes for a wonderful cocktail ingredient as its bitter flavor helps to balance sweeter notes and bring depth to our favorite spirits. The next time you’re looking to shake up your cocktail hour, mix one of these beautiful and tasty green tea libations.

Turkish Rose Tea

Turkish Rose Tea

Courtesy of Hakkasan Las Vegas

Ingredients:

• .25 bar spoon Matcha Powder
• .75 oz. Egg White
• .75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2.75 oz. Green Batch Mix*
• Clipped Firestick (to Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a shaker tin. Dry shake. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass and garnish.

*Green Batch Mix

Ingredients:

• .75 oz. Jasmine Tea Syrup
• .75 oz. St-Germain
• 1.25 oz. Nolet’s Silver Gin

Preparation: Combine all ingredients and stir well to mix.

Tanteo Jalapeño Matcha-Rita

Tanteo Jalapeño Matcha-Rita

Courtesy of Tanteo Tequila

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Tanteo Jalapeño Tequila
• 1 oz. Matcha Simple Syrup*
• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• .75 oz. Agave Nectar
• 2 Jalapeño Slices (to Garnish)
• Mint Sprig (to Garnish)

Preparation: Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with jalapeño slices and fresh mint.

*Matcha Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. Matcha Powder
• .5 cup Cold Water
• .5 cup Sugar

Preparation: Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Take off heat, and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Kentucky Kyushiki

Kentucky Kyushiki

Courtesy of Legent Bourbon

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Legent Bourbon
• .5 oz. Green Tea Simple Syrup*
• 3 dashes Lavender Bitters
• Lemon Peel (to Garnish)

Preparation: Add all liquid ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir to chill, and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon peel.

*Green Tea Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Water
• 1 Green Tea Bag

Preparation: Put sugar, water and tea bag into a saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook until sugar is dissolved. Squeeze tea bag and remove from syrup. Cool before using.

Honey, Don’t Dew Me Like That

Honey, Don’t Dew Me Like That

Courtesy of Merandia Adkins of L.B.M. Bar

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Carpano Bianco
• .5 oz. Carpano Dry
• 1 oz. Honeydew Genmaicha Mint Sherbet*
• .75 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1 Egg White
• .25 tsp. Matcha Powder (to Garnish)

Preparation: Add everything, except the matcha powder, to a shaker tin filled with ice. Reverse dry shake. Fine strain into a chilled cappuccino mug. Garnish with matcha powder dust.

*Honeydew Genmaicha Mint Sherbet

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. (wt) Chopped Honeydew
• 2 oz. (wt) Mint Leaves
• 10 oz. (wt) Sugar
• 10 oz. (wt) Matcha Iri Genmaicha Tea

Preparation: Place honeydew, mint and sugar in a non-reactive container. Shake to coat and let sit refrigerated overnight. Blend honeydew, mint and sugar mixture with matcha iri genmaicha tea until well incorporated. Strain through nut bag. Bottle and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

She-lei-lei

She-lei-lei

Courtesy of Joaquín Simó

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Knappogue Castle 12 Year Irish Whiskey
• 3 oz. Vita Coco Coconut Water
• .5 oz. Rich Simple Syrup
• .25 tsp. Matcha Tea
• Freshly Grated Cinnamon (to Garnish)
• Cinnamon Stick (to Garnish)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients—save for the garnish—in a mixing tin (add tea last), and shake vigorously without ice to thoroughly incorporate the matcha into the liquids. Fill a rocks glass with ice to the top, then pour ice into the mixing tin. Shake very briefly, but vigorously, to just chill ingredients. Pour liquid and ice from mixing tin into rocks glass, grate cinnamon stick over top and place cinnamon stick atop the ice.

Greenback Boogie

Greenback Boogie

Courtesy of The Rum House

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Havana Club Rum
• .5 oz. Rum Fire
• .25 oz. Giffard Rhubarb
• .5 oz. Honey Syrup
• .5 tsp. Matcha Powder
• 1 oz. Oat Milk
• 3 drops Angostura Bitters (to Top)

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the bitters, to a shaker tin with ice. Shake until chilled. Discard the ice, and dry shake to further incorporate the ingredients. Strain into a coupe glass. Add three drops of Angostura bitters and swirl with a toothpick to create a design.

Ground Control

Ground Control

Courtesy of Adam Miller for Silver Lining Diner

Ingredients:

• 1.25 oz. Club Soda
• 1.5 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1.5 oz. Matcha Honey*
• 2 oz. Vodka

Preparation: Add club soda to a Collins glass filled with ice. Combine remaining ingredients in a shaker tin, whip shake and double strain into the Collins glass.

*Matcha Honey

Ingredients:

• 700 gr Clover Honey
• 450 gr Hot Water
• 40 gr Matcha Powder

Preparation: Combine honey, hot water and matcha in a blender. Blend at half speed for two minutes. Transfer to a container and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Syrup will keep in the refrigerator for three weeks.

The post Shake Up Your Next Happy Hour with a Green Tea Cocktail appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

More than 35 years ago, Los Angeles got a true taste of New York when music industry vet Allan Rinde purchased a crummy pizza joint across from his studio on Fairfax to start a New York-style Szechuan restaurant.

Once a New Yorker himself, Rinde complained that he could not find a Canal Street-type Chinese locale in Los Angeles, which led him to open Genghis Cohen.

In 1997, Rinde sold Genghis Cohen to longtime staff member Raymond Kiu, whose family ran the restaurant until hospitality visionaries Marc Rose and Med Abrous (Winsome, The Spare Room at the Roosevelt Hotel) silently took over the space in 2015. Rose, a native Brooklynite who moved to Los Angeles in 2000, frequented Genghis Cohen because he missed the nostalgic Chinese food from his city.

The Lobby Bar

Rose and Abrous recognized the guest loyalty and were adamant about retaining the storied restaurant for future generations to come. Together, they made small improvements—level of service, ingredient quality, and interior upgrades like replacing the timeworn carpet, widening the vibrant red leather booths, positioning a round fish tank inset and “planting” faux tropical flowers.

With an exotic allure, Genghis Cohen pulls in all types of clientele, from sizable families repeating weekly orders to hype-beast kids wandering in off of Fairfax. There, laid-back dinners are full of Jewish-influenced, American-Chinese favorites, among other Szechuan dishes and Asian-inspired quenchers. All recipes remain the same today, including the dumpling dough made from the original pizza dough mixer rescued by Rinde.

Duck Duck Juice

Keeping with tradition, the team debuted an upgraded menu of “foo foo” drinks to accompany its masterly Chinese-meets-Jewish cuisine. The playful menu was enhanced by Beverage Director Yael Vengroff, who holds a number of titles with Speed Rack and was named American Bartender of the Year at the 2018 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. The young, well-decorated bartender constantly challenges the craft cocktail scene while staying true to her outlandish self behind the stick. At Genghis Cohen, she is fueled by fun variations of classic Asian drinks dressed in arcane infusions, tinctures, sodas and shrubs, all made in-house. Various Asian ingredients—such as refreshing yuzu, sweet green tea and nutty, toasted sesame—are liberally incorporated into her whimsical creations.

“We wanted the menu to remain authentic, and this is my interpretation of what I would want to drink in a Chinese restaurant,” Vengroff says. Described as a “blind love” of frozen concoctions, the Young Grasshopper blends white rum, green creme de menthe and white cacao together as one, finished with a “floating island” of green tea ice cream and an orchid bloom. “These are not tiki, yet bright and beautiful,” she says.

Yael Vengroff

Vengroff’s funky spin on foo foo drinks certainly adds an interactive element to the dining experience at Genghis Cohen through artful garnishes to distinctive glassware. A rounded riff on a buck, Cold Tea combines toasted white sesame and ginger-infused Japanese whisky, fresh citrus juice, and a pinch of turmeric, topped with Original New York Seltzer’s vanilla cream soda and presented in an ornate mug with a red color-washed lotus root—an unusual seed pod caught drifting atop large leaves on ponds across Asia.

“There are some classics on [there] and others that pay tribute to the New York-Jewish connection within the history of this place—and my own background,” Vengroff says. She mentions her Jewish grandfather, who was the inspiration behind Zaydee’s Manhattan. Ideal for the old school Fashioned fan, the stiff sipper is built with walnut brandy, ruby vermouth, calvados, madeira, toasted pecan bitters, Caffè Amaro and a hint of salt. “Perfect, just like the way he complained it never was,” she chuckles.

Moneycat-a-Tonic

Vengroff believes drinks should be approachable but picked up a notch. “A lychee-tini is cliche, yet ubiquitous,” she says. Five elements make up her stirred, modernized version of the Lychee Martini: coconut oil vodka, lychee extract, pear brandy, fresh aloe vera and a splash of citrus flavors. While native to China, lychee can grow in certain U.S. regions and pairs nicely with other sweet tropical fruits like mango and coconut. Yuzu, which is less tart than its citrus counterparts, is best used in the large format Duck Duck Juice. The family-style quencher uses gin as the base, jasmine tea-scented blanc vermouth, juicy peach and yuzu tonic to stimulate all senses. The liquid is poured humorously through the duck’s beak into tumblers, soon to be lifted for a table toast.

Genghis Cohen is a celebratory icon of the Los Angeles social scene and will continue to strengthen under Vengroff’s creative power, backed by both Rose and Abrous. Today, guests can expect small acoustic performances and comedy acts five nights a week in the adjoining music hall where more drinks are flowing. “It’s a mixed bag [here],” Vengroff says. Just have fun.

Young Grasshopper

Young Grasshopper

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. White Rum
• 1 oz. Green Creme de Menthe
• 1 oz. White Creme de Cacao
• 1 oz. Heavy Cream
• Scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream (to Top)
• Toasted Coconut (to Garnish)
• Gold Stars (to Garnish)
• Orchid (to Garnish)

Preparation: In a blender, combine all liquid ingredients with crushed ice. Pour into a bubbleini glass. Top with a scoop of green tea ice cream. Garnish with toasted coconut, gold stars and an orchid.

The post Yael Vengroff Brings Upgraded Foo Foo Drinks to LA’s Genghis Cohen appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Welcome to On Tap, a weekly column that explores the brews and beer trends that are currently being served at restaurants and bars across the country.

This week, we’re chatting with Ben Ripani, the Cicerone Manager of Makeready Libations & Liberation in Nashville, Tennessee. With the tagline “work like a dog, drink like a fish,” this beer hall and restaurant serves seasonal American tavern cuisine along with cocktails and a rotating selection of craft brews. We chatted with Ripani to find out how he chooses beers for the beverage program and which current on-tap brews are best paired with dishes from the food menu.

Makeready Libations & Liberation

When choosing beers for your on-tap program, do you always go to the same brands, or are you constantly looking for new breweries to feature?

I mix it up and try to get a healthy mix of local and regional breweries. There are a lot of great breweries out there, but you also have to cater to people’s tastes. Not everyone is interested in trying something they haven’t tried before. For that reason, I focus on good a representation of seasonal styles from different breweries.

How often do you rotate your tap selections and why?

I only have seven taps, so I keep all of them rotating. I always have one line dedicated to a sour style and one or two lines with an IPA, as these are among the most popular styles of beer in Nashville and nationwide. If I had more taps, I’d keep the local favorites on all the time and rotate six to eight of them. It is important to change selections seasonally because much like it is with food, people have different drinking habits throughout the year.

What is your favorite beer that’s being served on tap right now?

The newest one. I get bored easily.

In addition to their always rotating beer selection, Makeready serves hearty food that ranges from country ham plates to roasted oysters to a double elk chop. Ripani talks about how to pair some current on-tap beers with dishes from the menu.

Makeready Libations & Liberation

Smith & Lentz German Pilsner with Pork Schnitzel

Classic beer pairing in the world of beer. Fried pork schnitzel plays nicely with the high carbonation and hop character of a German Pilsner, which tends to be drier, woody and earthy when compared to other similar styles like a Munich Helles or a Kolsch.

Blackberry Farm Screaming Bock with Fettuccine “Bolognese”

Screaming Bock is a Wiezenbock with banana, clove, raisin esters from the Belgian yeast and roasted caramel hints from the unique malt build. These flavors should sit nicely with this tomato-based, vegetarian pasta dish. It sounds simple enough, but it is bursting with flavor and complexity. They should match intensities while providing some intriguing contrast and resonance.

Revolution Brewing Hazy Hero with Shrimp & Avocado Salad

I really like playing with Northeast-style IPAs with salad dishes. They can be really fun as the intense floral, citrus and juicy hop aromas and flavors complement the dish like an actual salad dressing. Resonance would be the defining characteristic of this pairing as the tart, acidic shrimp will reside with the acetic acid character of the beer. In addition, the subtle bitterness of the beer should contrast with the savory ingredients in the salad.

Makeready Libations & Liberation

Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose with Shrimp Cocktail

Classic, wheat-based Gose is a great beer to pair with shrimp cocktail or oysters. It is mildly salted and soured by fermentation with a wild yeast strand called brettanomyces. This hint of tartness begins to act the same way as squeezing a lemon would over whitefish, shrimp or oysters. It is the perfect complement or, in this case, flavor addition as it relates to the relationship between the food and beer. The Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose has hints of honeydew and cantaloupe in addition to the flavor characteristics of the base style. Could make it weird or magical. Let’s try!

The post On Tap: Makeready Libations & Liberation appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News